Rome vs. USA.

Essay by HomeworksucksHigh School, 10th grade September 2005

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Perhaps two of the most powerful empires that ever existed or still exist today are Ancient Rome and the United States. The Romans created a new perspective when it came to the matter of marriage, treating it as a mutual union rather than an arrangement. Impressively, their maverick ideas still live on in our society today. In government and foreign affairs, historians continuously argue that no other civilization handled these issues more competently than Rome. Again following the footsteps of the Romans, the United States has made a tremendous name for itself in the global political scheme. When compared, Rome and the United States share many intriguing similarities, and this fact offers us a glimpse into what truly makes a powerful and influential nation.

The Roman Republic lasted from 510 BC until 23 BC - almost 500 years. In comparison, the United States of America has only existed since 1776 - about 250 years.

However, these two both share a common government system that has proven time and time again to be very efficient and functional: a republic. In the Roman Republic, there was a senate that appointed a consul, who ruled Rome like a king for a one-year term. The consul ruled wisely and did not act as a tyrant. On a regular basis, two censors were also elected. They would take a census of the Roman people, were in charge of the membership roll of the senate, and were responsible for the construction of public buildings. Most other government offices were held by praetors or quaestors. But the most significant thing about the Roman government was that the positions mentioned had to be elected. In America today, we practice a federal republic, where rights and powers are granted to states within the nation, but the national government still...